Lux et Tenebra
by Luvisia
Summary: "In a kingdom swallowed by sand, a dark shadow spreads through the land." A tale that runs parallel to the events of Twilight Princess, focused on the villains and the adventures of my OC Fortuna Dragmire. Rating may change in the future for some graphic content.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Welcome, fair readers, to the long-awaited rewrite of my fanfiction "Lux et Tenebra." It's been tough to finally plot this long tale, but my, isn't it going to be worth it in the end? I've also taken the time to improve my writing style, which I'm sure will trump the way it was written before. :)**

**This story will coincide with the events of Twilight Princess; it will follow the adventures of my character Fortuna, a few others that we'll meet throughout the story, and our favorite villains. I'm sure that we were all wondering just how Zant and Ganondorf (almost) got away with conquering Hyrule... let me assure you, they certainly didn't do it by sitting around and lifting a finger, as awesome as that might sound. The story will begin about three weeks before Zant takes over Hyrule, and a month before Link encounters the twilight, but again, it's not going to be about Link. We know that story already, and it would be pointless to tell you what you already know.**

**Anyways... in the infamous words of Beetlejuice...**

_**It's showtime.**_

**DISCLAIMER:**

**The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and all of its elements belong to Nintendo. I claim no ownership and do not intend to profit from this fanwork in any way, shape or form. It has been created soley for entertainment purposes. The only thing that I do happen to own are the original characters and (some of) the plot of this story.**

**The following lyrics were written by KaylaKat, and they go along with the Gerudo Desert theme from the game. Many thanks to her. X3**

**BOOK ONE: INTO THE TWILIGHT**

**Chapter One - The Kingdom Swallowed by Sand**

_Sun._

_Oh sun, scorching sun - _

_Which path shall I take?_

_Desert of our soul, guide me through the dark._

_**In a kingdom swallowed by sand...**_

_Sand._

_By the sand._

_Sun._

_Burned by sun._

_**A dark shadow spreads through the land...**_

_Wind._

_Stung by wind._

_I must return to the land of light._

_I must return._

_But here I am._

_Where is the sun?_

_**From within these dark walls...**_

_I must escape._

_**The reign of twilight...**_

_Must be dispelled._

_**To redeem the evil...**_

_Of my blood._

_**Light and shadow...**_

_Must separate._

_Light._

_Where is my light?_

_But, which is it?_

_Light from the dusk?_

_Or from my land's sun?_

_**Light or shadows?**_

_**Which path shall I take?**_

_I..._

_I must choose._

_I... _

_Must I choose?_

"I think he fancies you."

The smaller of the two red-haired girls snapped her head up, her golden eyes narrowing at her companion's smug smirk.

"What would make you think that?" she asked, dipping the white cloth she held into the bucket of water and bringing it up to wipe the light perspiration from her tan face. The weather was extremely hot today, even for the Gerudo Desert, and the sweltering heat wasn't treating the natives kindly. "I mean, Demios has better girls fawning over him all the time."

"Oh, don't think that for a moment. It's because you're different, that's why. Some people are going to look at you funny, some people are going to find it attractive," the taller girl replied. "He just happens to find it attractive. And before you deny it - I should know, I'm his cousin." This girl, Dinooi, was bosomy and eagle-eyed, with a long ponytail of firey red. Her natural beauty would probably be breathtaking to most men. "Why do you think he was so quick to befriend you, hm? It's not just because he's a 'nice guy' like some of these idiots think..." She took her own cloth and swiped it across her bare arms and shoulders as she waited for the other girl's reply.

The smaller one hesitated. "But I'm not as beautiful as half the girls here. Look at me. I still seem as if I were thirteen. How could he think of _that _as attractive, huh?" She cast her gaze away, her attention seeming to be preoccipied with a small brown lizard that was bathing in the generous pool of yellow sunlight offered by the open-air window.

"Oh Fortuna, you'll develop soon enough," Dinooi chuckled. "It's just a matter of time."

The small girl, Fortuna, sighed, itching the back of her neck. "When? I'm already sixteen, seventeen soon. Let's face it, I never have and never will have curves."

Dinooi shrugged. "Maybe you're right. But who cares when you've got such a lovely personality? And that's just another thing to set you apart, eh?" she added with a nudge and a wink.

"Ay-a, don't start," Fortuna said with a begrudging smile. "You're just trying to make me feel better."

Dinooi laughed. "If I don't, who will? Lighten up, yes? Enjoy the time you have with us, don't let little inconveniences bring you down."

The Gerudo beauty's words reminded Fortuna of her eventual return to the Arbiter's Grounds. Three times a year (or thrice if you're feeling poetic), she was allowed to journey to the Gerudo Fortress, located deep in the desert, for the annual festivals held by the native people, the Gerudo, for which the desert was named. She herself was a half-Gerudo. It was not highly uncommon to have Hylian blood, as the population consisted of all women and one man, but due to the isolated nature of the desert, and treachrous path down to Lake Hylia, the population of the half-Gerudo had slowly dwindled (and with the ways of King Demios, the amount of pure Gerudo born would surely see a steady increase).

She was odd in this respect - Fortuna did not live amongst the Gerudo Tribe. Instead, she had been forced into servitude with her mother's untimely death, a servant to the Six Sages of the deadly former prison, the Arbiter's Grounds. It had been the fate of every woman in her bloodline to do so for the past hundred or so years. It began with her grandmother Nabooru, who had lived an especially long, fufilling life. Hers was not a forced internment, but something that she felt was owed to the Six Sages for their sacrifice, as a single sage had been murdered by one of their own tribe. He was a hushed legend among her people, the King of Thieves, Ganondorf.

Gerudo legend had it that King Ganondorf had been a harsh man, but one who had at first seemed to want power for his whole race, the women who had been shunned and treated as scourge by the Hylians. However, he became corrupted by wicked thoughts of revenge and the black magic that he practiced. The Gerudo had been swayed by his clever words of pride and retribution. They refused to believe that their king was insane and had no care for them. So they allowed him to follow through with his plan to take the holy Triforce in an effort to try and conquer the golden land of Hyrule. He was swiftly discovered and brought to justice by the Princess Zelda and a mere child of the forest, whose name had been long forgotten, and he had been executed by the sages. But somehow before his death (the details were a bit murky at this point), he had managed to kill one sage. Due to Nabooru's righteous nature, she had demanded that her line would serve these Sages and see to their welfare for all time.

Perhaps it was a mixed blessing. Though Fortuna rarely intermingled with other living beings, who could breath air and have a physical form (excluding the menaces of the Grounds and the Bublins), she had recieved an education that far surpassed that of her sisters. She had even accompanied the Sages to Hyrule Castle upon one occassion - it had been a breathtaking experience. She was never treated illy and always had food to eat and water to drink. On the other hand, she was still only that... a servant.

Dinooi stood up from her cross-legged position, and offered a hand to Fortuna, who quickly took it and raised herself up.

"The ceremonies are going to begin shortly. You should finish getting ready. I'll take care of this," she said, lifting the bucket of now dirtied bathing water with relative ease.

"Thank you, Dinooi," Fortuna smiled. "I appreciate the dress as well."

"No problem! Ask me if you want another one!" the older girl winked, lifting the purple curtain that covered the doorway and exiting the room.

Now left by herself, Fortuna turned towards the cot she usually slept on during her visits, and observed the red article of clothing on it with a contemplative gaze. She didn't like dresses at all, and her friend knew that. However, she was going to wear this one, if only to be polite to Dinooi. Had it been anybody else, she would have tossed it out the window.

"Different, huh..."

-S-

Firelight danced across the black desert sands, its golden tendrils seeping into the harsh, cold darkness. A huge bonfire was illuminated against a starry backdrop; faint, shadowy figures dancing before the flaming tapestry. These shadows were of the Gerudo dancers. The celebration was being held in the honor of one Demios Asai by name - the King of the Desert Thieves had finally come of the age to singly rule his people, without the guidence of his superiors; as a matter of fact, this ceremony marked the point at which he would have no superior.

Demios was the first male the Gerudo had begot in a century. As such, he was highly respected and revered, some naive girls and women going as far to treat him like a deity. It was obvious all the attentions of his position had gotten to his head - Demios was a rather arrogant young man, proud and bold, hotheaded, but unsurprisingly bright due to the wisdom and teachings of his elders. He had limitless potential, a natural-born warrior, and was an efficent user of the darker magics. His ego was sizable, but reined by his duties, which he attended to despite his reluctance. Overall, he was a suitable leader, and could likely still be one if it hadn't been his birthright.

The new king sat upon a simple throne, provided for the outdoor activity. He was somewhat nervous - this celebration required his full obligation to the women, his vow to fufill their every need and protect the homeland. He felt apprehensive towards the prospect, but knew that there was no out, no way for him to refuse. The dark-skinned young man let loose a sigh, accompanied by the vauge tapping of his gloved hand on the armrest of the wooden throne as he watched the dancers weave their intracate steps into a beautiful form of storytelling. He couldn't resist tapping out the beat of the song - music was his blood, he couldn't stand a life without it.

A sharp red color caught the corner of his eye, drawing his attention away from the talented and exotic dancers. He recognized her right away - the reddened skin hinting at her sensitivity to the sunlight and her smaller stature informed him that this newcomer dressed in something more akin to a drape (it was so _modest_ for such a frivoulous celebration!) was the half-Gerudo from the Arbiter's Grounds. The servant girl. He took a few seconds to appreciate her softer feautres in comparison to the bold and distinct ones he was accustomed to, but found himself losing interest rather quickly as his latest bedmate, Zoiya, leaned over his shoulder and whispered into his ear, her long hair teasing his skin.

"I caught you, naughty thing, staring at the little one! Ha! Don't you think about her like that."

Demios' amber eyes slid to the wry smirk on the Gerudo woman's face. "What are you implying? I was just..."

He couldn't help but look again as Zoiya planted a kiss on his cheek. The girl had seen the exchange, and her reddened face had turned a shade deeper. As she caught his stare, she immediately turned away with embarrassment.

He heard a sharp sound in his ear. Snapping his head towards it, he was met with the irritated expression of the woman currently attempting to lavish him with attentions.

"Demios, stop it; I don't need wandering eyes. Are you interested or are you not?"

Demios frowned at her sudden burst of anger, his eyes darkening for a split second. "Maybe I'm not. Is that the answer you were looking for?"

With a 'hmph,' she stood and crossed her arms. "Are you attempting to make me jealous? You can't possibly be considering a _little girl_."

He gave her the same mischevious grin she had donned earlier. "Perhaps."

She rolled her honey-colored eyes, throwing her sheer scarf at him playfully. "Maybe later then. It's a good night. I'll wait." With this, she turned on her heel and left to socialize somewhere else.

Demios quietly thanked the Goddess of Sand. Zoiya, though having an astounding physique, could be highly intolerable. She was the company he craved the least this evening. Though her words discomforted him... at this thought, his eyes again drifted back in the direction of the small redhead, and he did not notice the subtle glance he was giving until he realized she was no longer there. He blinked momentarily, scanning the crowd again, but did not find her. He proceeded to shake his head in annoyance. Zoiya was right, just what was he doing?

"Having fun?"

He tilted his head back to spy his new guest, smiling when he saw his cousin. "Dinooi? Hey."

The older girl sauntered over to his side, her expression amused. He was quick to notice it. "What?" he asked, mouth slightly open in confusion.

"I saw all of that, you know. And I just wanted to make you aware - you will not, under any circumstances, use myfriend as a device for your petty games again. You know how ruthless these girls can get when they feel threatened. Understood?"

Demios shrunk under her completely serious and unforgiving gaze, which was as sharp as steel. "Yes."

She immediately brightened up, ruffling the flaming halo of his hair, to his immense distaste. "Good boy. The ritual will be starting in a few minutes. Get ready, okay?"

Demios watched her leave with an incomprehensible, blank stare. Gods, that girl knew how to frighten him.

Not a moment after the departure of his cousin, the flames of the bonfire exploded into an ethreal column, a whirling inferno. All the Gerudo fled backwards with wide eyes. Complete silence fell over them, thick enough to be cut with a knife. The column split into two weaving tendrils of flame and smoke, one of them turning blue in color. This eerie lightshow went on for some time before the columns rejoined and receeded, the fire freezing as if suspended in time. A voice echoed amongst them; a cackling dual call.

_"The new KING?! My my sister, are we too late?!"_

_**"No, I don't believe so, sister. How long has it been since we saw a little red-haired boy?"**_

_"Far too long, sister. Maybe 100 years or so?"_

_**"No, it's certainly only been eighty!"**_

_"If you say so; still, I would think it was fifty. But isn't this one so striking! He's got something our son didn't have, ehehehe."_

_**"As I said, it was thirty! Oh, I wish we could take him, but the mean warriors wouldn't let us have him after Ganon's little incident, would they?"**_

Two little figures appeared before the Gerudo, riding on broomsticks, both clad in black - one with a large blue gem on her forehead, one with a red gem. They strongly resembled Gerudo themselves, but had bulbous eyes and emancipated bodies. Could this be the fabled Koume and Kotake, the banished twin witches?

"Oh, he's so perfect!" the one with flaming hair squealed, swooping towards Demios, who froze in his seat with wide eyes.

"Indeed!" the one with icy hair agreed, joining them and pinching Demios' cheek with grandmotherly affection. Her expression darkened. "Should we?"

"We shoul..." The other sister paused, her eyes flickering towards the silent crowd of women. "Do you smell what I smell sister?"

"What's that, sister?"

"Ganon's blood, sister!"

The other witch's nostrils flared, and she gasped.

"You're right, sister! But he doesn't exist in this realm. Who..."

The one with flaming hair shook her head. "We can find out later, sister. Our little king requests our gift."

They both nodded to each other with terrible grins, and floated away. In a fell movement, they joined together, becoming a beautiful witch.

_**"King Demios, accept this token of your birthright."**_

In the hands of the nymph-like witch, a small red object appeared. It floated down to Demios, who stared for a moment before plucking it from the air. In his hands was a carven ocarina, a mystical instrument...

_**"Goodbye and good luck, our red-haired youth!"**_

Just as quickly as they had appeared, the mysterious Twinrova vanished, and the flames resumed their crackling. Demios looked down at the ocarina, turning it in his palms, feeling slightly contented as he watched the reflections dance on its polished surface.

-S-

The next day was milder than the last, good weather for traveling. It boded well for the half-Hylian girl who was preparing to leave the Fortress.

"I always get so sentimental when you leave," Dinooi said quietly while Fortuna saddled the Gerudo stallion that would serve as her mode of transportation. "I know it will be a while until I see you again... but I have a bad feeling, Fortuna..."

Fortuna smiled lightly. "You always have a bad feeling, Dinooi. I'll be alright. Nothing ever happens around the Grounds, you know that."

Dinooi sighed. "I know, I know, it's all in my head. But I still don't see how you can stand living in that place! It's so creepy!"

Fortuna shook her head. "When you've been doing it as long as I have, the scary effect wears off after a while." She didn't understand why all the Gerudo were so apprehensive of the Arbiter's Grounds. It was full of monsters and ghouls, yes, but she had lost her fear quite a long time ago. It was part of her job to deal with these things. The Poes, however... yes, she could see why they would be frightened of those.

"Just don't do anything stupid," Dinooi chuckled, grabbing her friend by the shoulders and enveloping her in a tight embrace which Fortuna returned. They stood like this for several minutes before Fortuna finally pulled away.

"Same to you. See you in a few," she chuckled, wrapping her head in a yellow scarf and mounting the stallion in a quick movement.

Dinooi placed her hands on her hips at the smart remark. "I'll get you for that one later. Be careful," she snickered as Fortuna gave the spurs a good jab and hunkered down as the black steed took off into the golden desert dunes.

The girl held onto the reins tightly, squinting against the dry air that whipped about her head. It wasn't a very long ride to the Arbiter's Grounds on horseback, though there were a few tricky crags and cliffs that she still had trouble maneuvering. Her first thought was to visit the Spirit's Oasis before traveling back down, but the intensity of the wind suggested that she keep moving. She didn't want to become entangled in a sandstorm.

The Gerudo had long since abandoned their old fortress and had moved deeper into the desert for reasons that were unbeknownst to her. Perhaps the old remains that the Bublins liked to inhabit were traces of that past. Fortuna's lips twitched into a frown at the thought of the Bublins, the green-skinned, red-eyed, horned, cloaked thieves. She usually had no problem taking them on when they decided to harrass her, but it was when they attacked in droves that she had her problems. Of course, not all of them were ill-willed thieves, and their leader seemed to have a lot of dignity. According to their words, at least. She wouldn't doubt him being a coward, just like his followers; they wouldn't dare talk ill of him, anyways.

But even her interactions with the Bublins were restricted. The Sages were quite tempermental when it came to what she did and didn't do. Sometimes (in her eyes, at least) their rules reached the point of ridiculousness. But, she reasoned, if she followed all the rules, she would still be alive, so it couldn't be all that bad.

As she crested the first high dune, Fortuna looked towards the skyline, admiring the view of Lake Hylia. It was green and lush, very different from the arid canyons above, where she could spot the shimmering turrets of her destination. The girl idly looked on for a few more moments before nudging the black stallion in the ribs, urging him to continue onwards to the Grounds. One day, if she outlasted her duties, she might like to live by the crystal-clear lake. The idea of a small cottage somewhere on its banks appealed to her. But then the thought of living that life alone passed through her mind, and she shook herself free of the wishful thinking.

About thirty minutes later, Fortuna was almost upon the enterance to the Grounds. However, she knew that she would have to pass the first threat before she went anywhere... the Bublin guards were dutifully stationed before their stronghold, as was usual, and they were already starting a campfire in the dim light of twilight. She groaned as she was reminded of what she had to go through now. They were usually bullheaded about letting her pass. She wouldn't be surprised if one of them started shooting flaming arrows at her the moment she rode in.

_And they wonder why I don't like to spar at the Fortress._

**A/N: So there you have it! This is the first chapter. Or the prologue, if you feel like it. Some people might ask, "Why the hell was Twinrova there?" Well, Twilight Princess canonically comes after Majora's Mask, which takes place after Link and Zelda (as children) bring Ganon to justice. My point is that in this timeline, Link never faced Koume and Kotake in the Spirit Temple, and therefore they didn't die at his hands. So yeah, they're still around. And yeah, they still like going after younger guys. XD**

**The next chapter will probably be the chapter in which things get started. I hope you readers can find it in your hearts to stick around and tolerate me. And my bad humor. Which you will see shortly. You know, if you stick around. **

**As for reviews. They are not frowned upon. They're my bread and butter. And I love to read a good criticism, no matter how harsh. You're not going to hurt my feelings; I'm a big kid. :3**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry it took so long. School is a bitch, and so are fighting scenes. -_- **

**DISCLAIMER:**

**The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and all of its elements belong to Nintendo. I claim no ownership and do not intend to profit from this fanwork in any way, shape or form. It has been created soley for entertainment purposes. The only things that I do happen to own are the original characters and (some of) the plot of this story.**

**BOOK ONE: INTO THE TWILIGHT**

**Chapter Two - (Minor) Inconveniences**

Fortuna tapped the spurs lightly, and her stallion moved forwards at a slow pace. She heard the familiar, inhuman screeches of the Bublins before she could see them clearly. She hurried along until she was skirting their camp, and one of them, as predicted, raised their bow to fire.

"Don't shoot!" she called. Her lips pulled back into an annoyed snarl, showing off a bit of fang. The nearsighted Bublin decided to wait a moment more. Fortuna finally stopped in front of them, crossing her arms in expectance. They began to talk amongst themselves in their strange tongue, and one of them finally turned to her.

"You want to pass? You take the test," it said in its scratchy imitation of a Hylian accent.

Fortuna raised an eyebrow. "Since when was there a test? You're just making things up. Let me through that gate."

The Bublin shook its head. "You take the test, or you don't go anywhere."

Fortuna sighed, her lips pulling into a frown. She could easily take them all on, but there was a battilion more of them waiting past the gate if she dared to try it. "Okay. I'll take it. What do you want me to do?"

The Bublin's red eyes seemed to spark with mischief, and she was certain that there was a grin underneath that hood of his. "Our king is here. You go before him. You spar with him. He will see how weak you are." At this, the rest of the Bublins erupted into what she presumed to be laughter.

Fortuna growled at their insult, but her face paled slightly. She didn't know much about this king of theirs. For her sake, she was hoping that it would be an easy fight. After all, she was just taking on one of them, king or not. She waited for them to finish their giggling, her eyes narrowed disapprovingly, before she nudged her horse onwards.

They opened the gate before proceeding into their stronghold, the large 'Bublin Town' that sat at the foot of the Arbiter's Grounds. All of the Bublins that were within looked at her with distaste. They all knew her, and none of them had any fondness for the bite of her swords. The guards at the enterance sounded their horns to announce the arrival of newcomers.

The Bublin who had told her of the test grabbed a key from another one after they had traveled deep inside the walls. Night had fallen by this time, and Fortuna took a moment to glance up at the stars before she dismounted her horse.

"So where do I go?" she asked her temporal companions.

"They will take you to the arena. I will get the king," the first Bublin announced, scurrying off rather quickly. Fortuna looked to the other two. One prodded her in the back with its club.

"Move."

She shot him a nasty glare before following suit and allowing them to guide her to the arena. Once they were there, Fortuna watched as many of the other Bublins sat on the makeshift wooden benches that were situated around the arena. She gave a questioning look to the Bublin nearest her before she heard a loud thump.

Her golden gaze was now directed to the enterance of the area as she heard thump after thump on the sand-covered ground. The breeze that had tousled her short curls seemed to have stopped, increasing her tension tenfold. The thumps finally stopped, and her eyes became as wide as saucers as the Bublin King turned the corner.

_No way. No way am I going to face that thing._

He towered over both she and the other Bublins, and was as wide as six of them stuck together. Behind him, he lugged a giant axe. Fortuna gulped. She hadn't been expecting a foe this big. Hell, she'd never faced a foe this big. It caused uneasiness in her stomach, and she felt frozen in place. There wasn't a possibility of escaping unscathed from this battle.

The Bublin King looked around, baring his mismatched teeth in an amused grin as he caught sight of his opponent. "Ha ha! A little Gerudo? Bublins, you are cruel."

Fortuna felt a surge of anger at his words. There hadn't been any test, they were lying to her! It must have been some sort of revenge - throw their constant enemy at their king. Of course, he would be able to smite her! She unsheathed her dual blades, sending a quick mental prayer to the gods before getting into a good position for battle.

This seemed to amuse their king further. He chuckled before bending his knees and suddenly charging at her.

Fortuna dodged his charge rather easily, and kept moving to avoid the backlash of the axe. Though he was strong, he was slower than her. She could use that to her advantage. She didn't know how she would be able to damage him, though - it would be tough to land a blow on him with his wide range.

She did an about-face, turning on her heel to see where her foe had ended up. He was glaring at her, still with a hint of amusement, but also with a new understanding of her agility. He advanced on her once more, but now at a more leisurely pace.

Fortuna looked around the dusty arena for anything that might help her. A bit of conveniently placed wreckage was to her left - she immediately formed a course of action. She tried to excersize her patience until her adversary was close enough to put her thoughts into motion.

She felt as if her rapid heartbeat was loud enough for all of them to hear. It was a silly thought, but one that made her grit her teeth in anger. Fear was something she didn't want to show them. They were like a pack of ravenous wolves advancing for the slaughter, watching with bated breath as their king perpared his next mighty swing -

Fortuna leaped to the side as his axe began to descend, mounting the wreckage with swift feet and bringing her swords down between his shoulderblades. He let out a yowl as one of her blades pierced the flesh, unable to avoid it as the momentum of his swing exposed him to attack. She had drawn first blood.

The Bublin King elbowed her swiftly as he regained control of his arms. Fortuna gasped as she was knocked into the dirt, feeling the wind leave her and a numb pain spread through her abdomen. She now knew that this was now no longer a game to the Bublin King. With that one blow, she had humiliated him in front of his whole tribe. She was reminded of King Demios in that moment, for some strange reason, and knew very well that he'd probably react with the same vengance for something of this nature.

She realized that she only had one of her blades, and her eyes left her opponent for an instant to find it shining in the sand, just out of her reach. She ignored the pain of breathing and scrambled to her feet, rolling out of the way to avoid another swing of the King's giant axe. Her hand met with the sword for a brief instant, but a meaty hand clamped down on her ankle, dragging her backwards.

_Fuck! NO! _she mentally screamed, scrabbling at the sand for a hold, but finding none. She was hoisted into the air as easily as a pillow, and her eyes met with the face of the Bublin King, his red eyes gleaming, his yellowed teeth in a barbaric grin. She set her face in a scowl, trying not to show fear, but found it a little difficult to accomplish as she was faced with the blunt blade of his axe once more.

She wriggled about, making pathetic sounds as she tried to free herself, but it was no good. The Bublin King delievered another crushing swing, and Fortuna said a silent prayer as the blade rushed towards her.

Her eyes were closed tightly. She waited for the impact for several seconds. Feeling none, she opened her eyes and was greeted by a strange sight.

The axe hovered in midair, mere inches from her head. It was covered in an odd green glow. The Bublin King dropped her immediately, grabbing the hand used to wield the axe as if burned.

Fortuna shook the sand from her hair and clothes, crawling away from him on her elbows and stomach, but stopped short as a high-pitched laugh echoed in the arena. She knew that laugh very well - that was the laugh of a Poe. Her pupils shrunk to pins. There was nothing more that frightened her than a Poe, even if said Poe had saved her life, intentionally or not.

The ghastly Poe materialized, swinging the weapon as one would a pendelum, with a twinkle in its glowing green eyes. The Bublins shrieked as it hurled the axe at the lot of them, scattering them like a swarm of crows.

The Poe's giggle echoed around the arena again. After a few moments, Fortuna dared to look up. Her golden gaze was met with bright green, and she jumped back defensively, a gasp caught in her throat. The Poe floated closer to her, only smiling.

_"Eee... rah..." _it murmured before disappearing into nothingness.

Fortuna stood. What a strange predicament... she could usually see any spirit with no trouble at all, concealed or not. Though she had no wish to consort with Poes, the little discrepancy unnerved her. Holding both swords in her hands, she looked to the Bublin King. He was staring at her as if she were some kind of demoness or witch. Did he think that she had summoned the Poe? _Then let him, _she thought.

The tiny Gerudo backed away, sheathing her swords and walking through their town with not a hint of interference, letting her feet carry her to the steps of the Arbiter's Grounds.

**A/N: You know, I hadn't originally intended the Bublins to be a part of the story, but I couldn't resist. They were one of Link's biggest foes. Naturally, I had to include them. **

**Compared to the last chapter, this was a piece of cake, 4 pages to 10. It was originally going to contain Fortuna's enterance to the Arbiter's Grounds as well. Then I figured that shortening the chapters wouldn't be too bad for the eyes and general attention span. Let's face it, most of society has the attention span of a goldfish. *raises own hand in confirmation* **

**R&R please, hope to see you all around for the next chapter. ;)**


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